Tool for simulating finger-pressure treatment

ABSTRACT

A tool for simulating finger-pressure treatment comprising a platform and a plurality of operating spherical bodies supported on said platform by a supporting cup and provided with operative head of part spherical shape projecting from the cup, between the platform and spherical bodies within the supporting cups, and spherical bodies being axially movable and supported so as to permit rocking movement in any operative position.

United States Patent Ushinosuke Sekiguchi 21-5, lmaya-Kami-machi, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba-ken, Japan [21] Appl.No. 866,895

[72] inventor [22] Filed Oct. 16, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 7, 1971 [32] Priority Oct. 14, 1968 [33] Japan [54] TOOL FOR SIMULATING FINGER-PRESSURE TREATMENT 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 1128/60 A6 1 h 7/00 Field of Search 128/60,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,836,175 5/1958 Nakayama.... 128/60 2,742,251 4/1956 Udvardy... 128/61 UX 1,780,479 11/1930 Griffith..... 128/25 B 1,375,314 4/1921 Overton 128/25 B 1,913,462 6/1933 Timar.... 128/60 FOREIGN PATENTS 209,588 1/1924 Great Britain.... 128/60' 14,515 1910 Great Britain 128/60 Primary ExaminerL. W. Trapp Attorney-Jecies and Grenside ABSTRACT: A tool for simulating finger-pressure treatment comprising a platform and a plurality of operating spherical bodies supported on said platform by a supporting cup and provided with operative head of part spherical shape projecting from the cup, between the platform and spherical bodies within the supporting cups, and spherical bodies being axially movable and supported so as to permit rocking movement in any operative position.

PATENTED DEC m2: 3625204 sum 1 0F 2 INVENI OR Ushinosuke Sekiguchi PATENTED DEC 7 IHTI sum 2 0F 2 FIG. 6

I NVENTOR Ushinosuke Sekiguphi TOOL FOR SIMULATING FINGER-PRESSURE TREATMENT The present invention relates to a tool for simulating fingerpressure treatment, and more particularly, to a tool for giving such simulating actions to the body as rubbing, thrusting or pressing so as to produce desirable effects in curing disorder in the spinal column, reviving weakened cells and promoting circulation of the blood.

In curing diseases and maintaining health, it is considered desirable to perform finger-pressure treatment, particularly curing disorder in the spinal column by finger-pressing thereon. Recently, in the field of this art, tools for simulating finger-pressure treatment having projecting elements on a platform or board are practically used for rubbing, thrusting, pressing or kneading the body without manipulating fingers. In the method of simulating finger-pressure treatment, the presently known devices comprise a baseboard and plurality of operative spherical bodies supported on said baseboard, each operative spherical body generally forming a cylindrical shape with its head being rounded and having a supporting shoulder cooperating with the edge at the opening of the supporting cup, one end of the spherical body being held within the supporting cup, while other end thereof is projecting from the cup, the inner rounded end of the spherical body being disposed to engage a rocking surface within the cup so as to permit movement of the rocking spherical body within limits imposed by the edge of the opening.

But, in these conventional tools, the rounded end of each spherical body is placed on a firm intermediate block having a surface for receiving rocking movement. Said operative spherical body, therefore, is permitted to perform rocking movement only within the limits imposed by the edge of said supporting cup with small momentum but without axial movement. Consequently, these conventional tools may be used without troubles in giving treatment on abdomen, hands and legs or other muscular parts, but for application, more important in the finger-pressure treatment, on the cervical vertebrae or thoracic vertebrae from the back of the body, some opera tive spherical bodies cannot escape crushing on the bones and every spherical body not always being appropriately applied to the desired affected part of the human body mainly due to the complexity of bones in the cervical or thoracic vertebrae. If the operative spherical bodies are afiorded larger momentums, such crushing actions may be averted by the inclination of these spherical bodies. But even this is not the case for conventional tools. Thus, the operative spherical bodies crushing upon the bones cause pain to the user by pressing his nerves, other spherical bodies imparting inappropriate actions on his body with some spherical bodies being idle in operation. Other than above-mentioned, similar undesirable actions may probably be experienced when these spherical bodies applied upon the irregular surfaces of the body of a user. In any way, such operative spherical bodies supported upon firm rocking surfaces and applied upon the human body in coordination with other spherical bodies are not adapted for maintaining appropriate contacts each different according to the surface topology of the human body, thus being unable to perform individually suited operation as in the case of real finger-pressure treatment.

The present invention, therefore, aims to provide an improved tool which will overcome such shortcomings experienced in conventional tools for simulating finger-pressure treatment.

This invention more particularly aims to provide a tool for simulating finger-pressure treatment in which operating spherical bodies are independently and resiliently movable in their axial directions and capable for performing rocking movement in any operative position in said axial directions, thereby enabling every active surface of spherical bodies to act simultaneously upon the body of a user overcoming possible inconveniences or troubles in operation.

The present invention provides a tool for simulating fingen pressure treatment comprising a baseboard, a plurality of operative spherical bodies supported upon said baseboard by respective supporting cups, each of said operative spherical bodies generally having a rounded operative head of cylindrical shape and a supporting shoulder which cooperates with the edge of the opening of the supporting cup, said operative head of the operative spherical body projecting from the cup and other end thereof being held therein; said cup forms a cavity enough for permitting said operative spherical body to move in an axial direction with resilient member arranged inside said cavity, by said resilient member a platform and said operative spherical bodies are engaged to force the spherical bodies in their axial directions until the supporting shoulders contact the edges of the cups, said operative spherical body is permitted to move axially within the cavity of the cup and perform rocking movement in any operative position within the limits imposed by the edge of the opening of the cup.

In a tool according to the present invention, the operative spherical bodies are arranged to move resiliently in their axial directions and perform inclined movements freely forward and backward or right and left so as to apply every operative spherical body to any affected part of the body, thereby to positively promote finger-pressure or massage effect. As it will be seen in the accompanying drawings, in preferred embodiments, each of the operative spherical bodies forms a cavity and the supporting shoulder, in this case, extends laterally from the inner edge. As for the resilient member, a spring, conveniently a spiral type, may be arranged to fit into the cavity of the operative spherical body. Also, said spiral spring, the other end of which is fitted into the indentation provided upon the platform, may, in the state of being contracted to its minimum height, be arranged so that the inner end of the operative spherical body is contacted to the reference level of the platform. If desired, in replacement of the spring, it will be practicable to arrange a rubber rod of a carefully selected hardness. Also, in this case, the hollow operative spherical body and the indentation on the platform will be useful to permit greater axial movement of the operative spherical body. On the other hand, numerous small depressions may be provided on the operative surface of the spherical body. These depressions will work effectively in performing kneading actions upon the human body upon which the operative spherical body is placed so as not to be further displaced. Such an action, which will be operated by giving turning movement to the platform without displacing said spherical body once applied to the affected part of the body, is only practicable with the operative spherical body provided to move forward and backward or to the right and left as well as in the axial direction. Further, it is also preferable that the substantially operative part of the spherical body, namely, the part-spherical head be prepared using resilient rubber, because resilience of the spherical body itself has multiplied effect together with completely action-free support thereof.

The foregoing objects and features of the invention will be best illustrated from the following description of embodiments shown in the drawings selected and accompanied for this purpose in which:

FIG. 1 is a sketch drawing of a tool according to the invention and incorporating two operating spherical bodies;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sketch drawing of an improved operating spherical body;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sketch drawing of a further improved operating body; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view along the line 6--6 of FIG. 5.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 two pieces of the operating spherical body are incorporated. Such a tool is particularly suitable for simulating finger-pressure treatment upon nape and also preferable for treatment concentrated upon a limited affected part of the body. For other applications than above-mentioned, two rows of plural spherical bodies may be arranged in the same manner as described hereinafter.

Two operating spherical bodies 1 are fitted within supporting cups 3 individually formed upon a supporting frame 2. Said supporting frame 2 is generally shaped in a rectangular form having sidewalls slanting downwardly from edges of the horizontal panel 4 of said supporting frame 2. Said supporting cups are integrally formed upon the horizontal panel 4 in a shape of circular truncated cone. The reverse of said supporting frame 2 is covered by bottom plate 6 fixed rigidly at the bottom of the sidewalls 5 by an adhesive agent. From said bottom plate 6 to the top of the spherical bodies 1, this tool stands in an enough and adequate height for a patient to apply said spherical bodies 1 on the both sides of his neck simultaneously using this apparatus as a pillow. Details of the manner in which the operating spherical bodies 1 are retained are illustrated in FIG. 2. A platform 7 is arranged upon the upper side of the bottom plate 6 within the supporting frame 2 and positioned to support the horizontal panel 4 of the supporting frame 2 from underside by sidewalls 8 of said platform, and recess 9 is formed in a position to support each operating spherical body 1 above the platform. The spherical body 1, which is generally cylindrical in shape has part-spherical head 13, the other end of the spherical body is extending laterally beyond the main cylindrical part of the spherical body to form a retaining shoulder 10. Supporting cup 3 has an edge 11 projecting inwardly at its opening, thereby the operative head 13 of the spherical body 1 projects upwardly through the edge 11 of the supporting cup 3 and said spherical body is urged by a spiral spring 12 so as to engage the supporting shoulder with the edge 11. One end of said spring 12 is arranged from the inside of the head of the operating spherical body 1 through the cavity thereof with other end of the spring rested in the recess 9 of the platform 7. At least, recess 9 is formed smaller in diameter than the inner end of the operating spherical body 1, that is, the outer diameter of the supporting shoulder 10 so as to restrict the axial movement of the operating spherical body 1 by the aid of the surface of the platform 7. Thus, the supporting shoulder 12 prevents the operating spherical body 1 from being displaced from this equipment in cooperation with the edge 11 of the cup 3 and stops the axial movement of the spherical body at the surface of the platfonn 7. While the wall of the supporting cup is slanted so as to pennit the rocking movement of the operating spherical body 1 in any axial position.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show an operating spherical body 1 with many shallow round depressions 14 on the rounded surface of the operating head 13.

While FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show an operating spherical body 1 comprising an elastic rubber head 13 with many shallow round depressions l4. Said rubber head 13 is supported with its projection under the head being fitted into the hole made on the top of the main element of the spherical body.

The tool according to the present invention is designed to apply under pressure the heads of the operating spherical bodies upon the affected part of the body requiring treatment. In this case, when the device is manipulated to move right and left or is given turning movement, the operating spherical bodies will be inclined in the opposite direction of such a movement and will cause the individual axial movement of the operating spherical body corresponding to the shape of the affected part, thereby every operating spherical body gives adequate rolling pressure each operating position. Otherwise, when it is desired to give thrusting pressing, or kneading operation upon the human body without manipulating the tool, it may be placed upon a bed with its operative side turned upward and the part of the body requiring treatment may be rested thereon. In either way, by means of the tool according to the present invention, each operating spherical body is permitted to move independently and resiliently in the axial direction and to perfonn smooth rocking movement in any operative position, thus making it practical to apply every operating spherical body appropriately onto any part of the human body without giving any undesirable pain thereupon.

What is claimed is: l. A tool for simulating finger-pressure treatment, comprising a base portion having a surface; at least one rigid hollow boss projecting from said surface and having an interior bottom wall and an upwardly directed opening surrounded by an inwardly directed annular first flange; at least one massage element including a semispherical portion located outside and a cylindrical portion extending from said semispherical portion through said opening into the interior of said boss, said massage element having a cavity facing said interior; a radially outwardly extending annular second flange on said massage element within said boss and having a diameter greater than that of said opening; and at least one elongated expansion spring having spaced end portions respectively received in said massage element and said boss and bearing against the former and said bottom wall of the latter, for suspending said massage element in said opening with said flanges abutting one another and with said massage element having freedom of movement against the bias of said spring in direction longitudinally ofand skew to its axis without contacting said surface.

2. A tool as defined in claim 6, wherein said spring is a helical expansion spring.

3. A tool as defined in claim 6, wherein said massage element is composed of elastomeric material.

4. A tool as defined in claim 6, said semispherical portion having an exposed contact face provided with a plurality of depressions.

5. A tool as defined in claim 6, wherein at least said semispherical portion of said massage element is composed of rubber.

6. A tool for simulating finger-pressure treatment comprising a platform, a supporting member made of rigid material positioned on said platform and being shaped as a cylindroidal body, said supporting member being hollow and having a supporting edge laterally rounded at its upper end, said supporting edge being inwardly extended and surrounding a circular hollow with respect to the uppermost plane of said cylindroidal body, an operative massage element body mechanical contained by its lower part inside said supporting member and being semispheroidal exteriorly and deeply concave interiorly of said supporting member, said massage element body having laterally extending rounded flange inside said supporting adapted to abut said supporting edge thereof, and a resilient member positioned inside said supporting member and said concavity of said massage element body and urging said flange against said supporting edge in outward direction so as to prevent contact of said flange with the surface of said platform for eliminating shock impulses resulting from such contact, said resilient member enabling said massage element body to swing with various angular movability in lateral direction, various longitudinal movability in perpendicular direction and various movability in angular-perpendicular direction without escapement from said supporting member.

l 0' I I i 

1. A tool for simulating finger-pressure treatment, comprising a base portion having a surface; at least one rigid hollow boss projecting from said surface and having an interior bottom wall and an upwardly directed opening surrounded by an inwardly directed annular first flange; at least one massage element including a semispherical portion located outside and a cylindrical portion extending from said semispherical portion through said opening into the interior of said boss, said massage element having a cavity facing said interior; a radially outwardly extending annular second flange on said massage element within said boss and having a diameter greater than that of said opening; and at least one elongated expansion spring having spaced end portions respectively received in said massage element and said boss and bearing against the former and said bottom wall of the latter, for suspending said massage element in said opening with said flanges abutting one another and with said massage element having freedom of movement against the bias of said spring in direction longitudinally of and skew to its axis without contacting said surface.
 2. A tool as defined in claim 6, wherein said spring is a helical expansion spring.
 3. A tool as defined in claim 6, wherein said massage element is composed of elastomeric material.
 4. A tool as defined in claim 6, said semispherical portion having an exposed contact face provided with a plurality of depressions.
 5. A tool as defined in claim 6, wherein at least said semispherical portion of said massage element is composed of rubber.
 6. A tool for simulating finger-pressure treatment comprising a platform, a supporting member made of rigid material positioned on said platform and being shaped as a cylindroidal body, said supporting member being hollow and having a supporting edge laterally rounded at its upper end, said supporting edge being inwardly extended and surrounding a circular hollow with respect to the uppermost plane of said cylindroidal body, an operative massage element body mechanically contained by its lower part inside said supporting member and being semispheroidal exteriorly and deeply concave interiorly of said supporting member, said massage element body having laterally eXtending rounded flange inside said supporting adapted to abut said supporting edge thereof, and a resilient member positioned inside said supporting member and said concavity of said massage element body and urging said flange against said supporting edge in outward direction so as to prevent contact of said flange with the surface of said platform for eliminating shock impulses resulting from such contact, said resilient member enabling said massage element body to swing with various angular movability in lateral direction, various longitudinal movability in perpendicular direction and various movability in angular-perpendicular direction without escapement from said supporting member. 